Pinch Me - I Must Be Dreaming

It seems like a dream vacation, without the dread of returning to the "real world" in 10 days...Every Day is Just Like Yesterday, and the one before that. Every morning, 80 degrees, balmy breezes, azure bay that looks 2 feet deep but it's 20' or more, watching for sea turtles popping their heads above the surface, I sip my iced coffee on the aft deck...Then I wonder if I need to do a stressful chore like a load of laundry, or is it time to change the sheets yet? ...Just another day in Paradise.

Walt and I are finally getting the hang of retirement! This is GREAT! We spent Saturday lounging around the yacht club pool, snacking on delicious appetizers and sipping local beer, reading our books and gazing out at the sail boats in the Sea of Abaco. (The lending library is alive and well with boaters; we read and pass along books faster than the City Library). Sunday we strolled up to Nippers, the local hangout, for the weekly Pig Roast and Party. Nippers is a landmark here on this tiny island. I didn't have it in me to return for their SuperBowl Party that evening, but Walt and our friend Bill were determined to do their All American Guy thing, and whooped it up with the locals for that most exciting game.

I beat Walt at Scrabble the other night; he said that won't happen again...

Walt tuning up his old 12-string Gibson...

Monday was special! We moved Kingdom over to the fuel dock and off-loaded our scooters! To hell with chores when there is a whole island to explore! We covered every paved and sandy road on the island (in under an hour). Then, needing refreshment and nourishment, what better than Cheeseburgers in Paradise! Nippers sits on a knoll above 7 mile beach, a talcum powder white beach which faces the turquoise blue Atlantic Ocean we all dream about. Snorkelers enjoy the reefs just off shore, but we haven't gotten around to that yet, as our plans to return later with our gear was interrupted by nap time!

Bahamians are the friendliest people, polite, gracious and fun. The history here is somewhat convoluted: The islands were first settled by Loyalists during the American Revolution. Freed slaves came with them, and more after the Civil War. Then developers came from around the globe, and either made it or more likely didn't. There are ex-pats from the US and Canada, and Caribbean neighbors. There is no crime, no police presence, and sometimes no electricity on the whole island (like Sunday when some boat tore through the submerged power line and we went dark until the generators started humming on every boat and building in town).

Susan on the beach...

Orchid Bay landing, pool beyond...

Tonight we are BBQing chicken breasts on our cockpit grill. I'll make baked potatoes and salad, and perhaps we'll dine on the flybridge and watch the sun set.

Then, since it is Super-Tuesday, we may watch the early election returns on TV. This is the first time we have not been able to cancel out each others' vote, and might have actually voted for the same person if we'd filed our absentee ballots. But even politics can't disturb the peace and tranquility here on Kingdom.

So I guess it's true: Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Merrily, Life is But a Dream!